Propulsion device



June 10, 1941. w HOOKER 1 2,245,401

PROPULSION DEVICE Filed Feb. 7, 1939 r 2 Sheets-Sheet l w fsyiz INVENTORl William [ifloo/i'er M W BY ATTO RN EYS June 10, 1941 w H HOOKER2,245,401"

PROPULSION DEVICE Filed Feb. 7, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "n": 1 r W;

INVENTOR WITNESSES 2%? hz'llzdm 1y Hooker n-l'a-h J mimim BY l 1| 5 I 2/E ATTORNEYS Patented June 10, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEPROPULSION DEVICE William H. Hooker, Phoenix, Ariz.

Application February 7, 1939, Serial No. 254,995

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in propulsiondevices and has particular reference to the propulsion of bodies adaptedto float on Water such as floats, surf boards, catamarans, aqua-planes,and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient devicein the nature of a fioatable support on which a swimmer or nonswimmermay rest his body and be properly buoyed up in the water and providedwith means whereby he may with ease and safety propel the float andhimself through the water either forward or backward at will.

A further object is to provide a simple and durable construction whereinthe body will be maintained at all times in recumbent safe floatingposition without any likelihood to dip or sway under the surface of thewater.

A still further object is to provide a construction which can beeconomically and durably manufactured to achieve the above objects.

Further and more specific objects, features, and advantages will moreclearly appear from a consideration of the specification hereinafterwhen taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form partof the specification and which illustrate one or more forms of theinvention which are preferred and which it may assume in practicalapplication.

Broadly considered, and in general terms, the invention may briefly beconsidered as comprising a support such as a plank, surf-board,aquaplane or the like, on which are mounted front and rear buoyancyelements combined with a set of propellers or paddles at the frontadapted to be operated by the operator reclining on the sup port.

Preferably in one form the rear buoyancy device is adapted to embracethe body of the operator and extends laterally of the support on eachside to provide means to prevent the body from slipping off thesupportin a sidewise direction. The front buoyancy member is provided to form ahead rest and to supply the needed front buoyancy to balance the supportlongituas to adjust the aggregate level and position of the device withregard to the particular body to be disposed thereon as the operator maybe a light or heavy person.

The invention in one or more preferred forms is illustrated in thedrawings herewith of which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of the entire unit;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken through the device shownin Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial vertical cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig.2;

Fig. 4 is a similar section taken on the line 4-4 of Fi 2;

Fig. 5 is a similar section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged partial plan view of the mounting for thepropellers;

Fig. '7 is a vertical cross section taken on the line l'! of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the adjustable clamping bar for thefront buoyancy element;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 10 is a partial elevation of a modified form of means to clamp thefront buoyancy element in position;

Fig. 11 is a cross section taken on the line ll-ll of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a modified form of means to clamp the rear buoyancy membersto the support;

Fig. 13 is a cross section taken on the line |3l3 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a partial sectional elevation of a modified form of mountingfor the propellers;

Fig. 15 is a partial cross section showing a modified manner ofconnecting the rear buoyancy elementto the support; and

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of still further means to clamp thebuoyancy element to the support in the manner shown in Fig. 15.

As shown in the drawings, the invention in its preferred forms comprisesa support 20, which in the form shown is like a long plank or asurfboard, adapted to float on the water. To the rear of this support isconnected an inflatable memher or buoyancy member such as 21 in the formof an inner tube, and to the front thereof is connected another buoyancymember 22 in the form also of an inner tube. At the very front of thesupport is disposed a pair of propellers such as 23.

In regard to the buoyancy member 2!, it is attached to the support 20 inthe manner shown in Figs. 1,2 and 3. The buoyancy member 2| is shown asan inflatable tube with a portion disposed under the bottom of thesupport 20 which is clamped against the bottom thereof by means of aclamping plate held in place by any suitable means. This plate clampsthe tube 2| so that the tube can be inflated by means of a fillingnipple 25 adjusted to a suitable angle, whereby it will not rub therider. By having the portion 2 of the tube 2! clamped in position, itwill be observed that the remainder of the tube is free to move and isadapted to be swung up in practical use into the position shown in Fig.2 so that it will receive and embrace the body of the person, swimmer ornon-swimmer, which is resting on the support 20 facing forward and withthe head of the person adapted if desired to rest on the forwardbuoyancy element indicated by the numeral 22. The larger size of therear buoyancy element 2| and its disposition at the rear of the supportit, especially while embracing the body resting on the support 25, willtend to counteract and prevent any tendency of the body to roll sidewiseoif the board due to the buoyant effect of the outer edges of theelement 2| in the water at each side of the support at the rear thereof.Thisis important since it is well known how difiicult it is not to rollsidewise off a plank or board when trying to lie on it in the water. Asthe lower portion of the tube 2| passes beneath the support it extendsthrough cutaway portions thereof, as shown at 27 in Figs. 1 and 3.

In regard to the forward buoyancy element 22, this is also an inflatabletubular member with the inflating nipple 28, but it is of smaller sizethan the tube 21. The forward end of the support 2? is provided with alongitudinal slot 29 into which the free ends of the element 22 projectat least slightly and are then clamped in this position and their openends closed by means of clam-ping bar 3a which can be adjusted in anyposition along the slot 29 by means of adjustable bolts 3|. From therear of the clamping bar 30 there extends a flexible strip 32 which actsto support the rear portion of the tube element 22 when inflated and isprovided with a small aperture to receive the nipple 28 and thus tendsto hold the tube in proper position as well. This tube element 22 actsas a buoyancy front member, and being adjustable its position whenadjusted determines its buoyancy effect with respect to the wholesupport 20, and especially with respect to the buoyancy efiect of thetube 2!. It will thus be apparent that the position of these two tubesdetermines the buoyant position of the support and the body restingthereon, and the weight and position of the body on the supportdetermines the degree to which the buoyancy elements are adjusted in oneposition or another.

At the front of the support 28 there is disposed a cap plate 3 1connected by a bolt 35 to the front of the support 20, this bolt ridingin slot 29 and therefore capable of being adjusted as well in the slot2t to determine the position of propellers which are connected to thecap plate. These propellers are preferably in pairs in the form ofpaddles or blades 36 preferably normally disposed in a vertical planeand having stems 3? at their inner ends in turn connected to springstrips 38 of predetermined resiliency. As shown in Figs. 6 and '7particularly, the cap plate is provided with spaced metal plates 3% andM, between which the inner ends of spring strips 38 are disposed. Screwsifi pass through the plates 33 and M and the ends of the strips 38. Awing nut 42 is disposed on the upper end of the bolt 35. The strips 38may be freely swung around the axes of the screws ib and thus thepaddles may be moved forward and backward to propel the support 20either forward or backward as the case may be. The resiliency of thestrips 38 will permit the paddles to be moved or dipped downward fromthe normal position shown in Fig. 2, so that they may be immersed in thewater at the proper portion of the stroke of propulsion. Thus it will beseen that the propellers are normally held in this upward position outof the water until they are definitely immersed in it by the operator.The cap plate 34 also has an inner slot 43 to receive the end of theclamping bar 38 so that either or both the cap plate and the clampingbar may be separately or jointly adjusted at the same or differenttimes.

In this form of the invention, the operator, whether he swims or not,can lie on the support 20 after passing his body through the tube orbuoyancy element 2! and then flat along the support with his headresting on the buoyancy element 22 if desired. Then reaching forward hewill grasp the stems 3'! preferably and operate the paddles to propelthe device. Since the paddles are separately pivoted, they may be movedindependently of each other to enable the operator to effect a varietyof manipulations with them.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 9, the support 44has pairs of upright pins 45 fixed thereon over which are stretched thebuoyancy elements which are in the form of tubes 46 and &1. When thesetubes are inflated they are drawn tightly over the pins thus making themsecurely fixed to the support. This form is also provided with paddlesas before, but the manner of mounting them may be as shown in Fig. 14.Here the paddles are as before connected to stems and spring stripswhich are in turn held between spaced plates, but in this form the lowerplate, such as 41, has a threaded dependent head to thread on to theupper end of the tube 53, the lower end of which is threaded into a boss49 bolted to the support or board 44. The action in this case of thepaddles is as before. In this form both the front and rear buoyancymembers extend well beyond the support laterally to exert lateralstabilizing effects to keep the board and the operator from rolling whenin the water.

In the form of construction shown in Figs. 10 and 11 is shown a modifiedmanner in which the front element may be clamped at its free ends. Inthis case the free ends are extended down between plates 50 spaced apartand pulled together by bolts 55. Between the free ends intermediate theplates 58 is a curved rod 52 against which the free ends of the tube arepressed to insure tight closing of the open ends to permit effectiveinflation of the tube.

In Figs. 12 and 13 is shown a modified form of construction by which therear tube may be connected to the support. Here the tube is not nippedor clamped tight but may be used or placed on the board in inflated formand surrounded by a flexible strip 53 having suitable adjustablefastening means 54. This strip passes around eyes 55 fixed to the boardand thus holds the tube in position.

In Figs. 15 and 16 another method for such fastening is shown, in whichthe tube is laid on the board and over it extends a fiat strip 55 havingoppositely disposed hooks 51 at each end which hook around the sides ofthe board and thus hold the tube in position.

While the invention has been describedin detail and with respect to apresent preferred form thereof, it is not to be limited to such detailsand forms since many changes and modifications may be made in theinvention without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionin its broadest aspects. Hence it is desired to cover any and all formsand modifications of the invention which may come within the language orscope of any one or more of the appended claims.

I claim:

' 1. In combination, a floating support, a pair of paddles, a resilientstrip rigidly connected to each of said paddles, and a retaining screwextending through each of said strips at the end opposite said paddlesfor pivotally mounting the respective strips, said screws being carriedby said support adjacent the front end thereof, said resilient stripsfunctioning normally to hold the paddles in a predetermined position outof the liquid in which the support floats while permitting an upward anddownward movement and a rotary movement around said screws.

2. In combination, a flat plank of approximately the same length as ahuman body, a pair of paddles independently pivoted to one end of theplank, a pair of flat resilient metal members positioned to hold thepaddles normally in a predetermined position out of the liquid in whichthe plank floats, said metal members at one end being respectivelysecured to said paddles and at the opposite ends pivotally secured tothe front part of said plank so as to swing in a horizontal plane, andbuoyancy elements at each end of the plank, one of said elementsextending laterally of the support to prevent lateral rolling.

3. In combination, a floating support, a pair of paddles, resilientmeans secured at one end to said paddles and functioning to normallyhold the paddles out of the liquid in which the support floats, meansfor adjusting the position of said paddles to agree with the arm lengthof the rider, said adjusting means including a cap plate slidablelongitudinally of the support and a bolt extending through said supportnear the front end for clamping the cap plate in various adjustedpositions, said bolt also loosely extending through the ends of saidresilient means opposite that secured to said paddles and acting topivotally connect said resilient means to said support so that they mayfreely swing horizontally around the bolt, buoyancy means disposed I ateach end of said support, and means to adjust the position of thebuoyancy means adjacent the paddles forwardly and rearwardly of thesupport, the other buoyancy means being flexible and substantiallycircular and positioned near the rear of said support and adapted toembrace the body of the rider when the device is in use, said secondbuoyancy means extending laterally of the support to prevent sidewiserolling.

4. A device of the character described including a flat floating supporttapering from approximately the center toward both ends, said supporthaving a notch in each side near the center and a centrally positionedlongitudinally extending slot at the front end portion, an endlessinflatable tube encircling said support and extending through said notchand across the bottom of the support, a clamp carried by said supportfor clamping that part of the inflatable tube to the support whichextends across the bottom thereof, a second inflatable tube having apair of ends extending into said slot, a second clamp carried by saidsupport for pressing portions of said second tube against the side wallsof said slot, a plurality of bolts extending through said support forcausing said second clamp to function, and hand actuated propellingmeans secured to the front end of said support.

5. In combination, a floating support many times longer than it is wide,a pair of paddles, a flat resilient member secured to each of saidpaddles and independently horizontally pivotally connected to one end ofsaid support functioning to hold the paddles normally in a predeterminedposition out of the liquid in which said support floats while permittinga rotary movement thereof, a buoyancy element at the front end of thesupport for normally holding the pivoted end of .said resilient membersout of the liquid and supporting said support and a buoyancy elementconnected to the support centrally thereof and extending to the rear ofthe support, said rear buoyancy element also extending laterally of thesupport to prevent lateral rolling, said rear buoyancy element beingcircular and adapted to encircle the body of the operator when thedevice is in use.

6. In combination, a floating support, a pair of paddles, resilientstrips connected at one end to said paddles and extending axiallytherefrom, each of said strips having an aperture in its free end, asingle bolt extending through the apertures in both of said strips andpart of said support for pivotally connecting the paddles to the supportso that they may swing horizontally, said strips flexing vertically,said strips acting to normally hold the paddles in a predeterminedposition out of the liquid in which the support floats, an inflatabletube connected to the front end of the support and acting to hold saidbolt and associated parts out of said liquid and a second inflatabletube secured to said support substantially centrally of the support andextending rearwardly and laterally of the support to prevent rollingthereof.

'7. In combination, a substantially flat floating support, a pair ofpaddles disposed at one end of the support, a pair of flat spring stripsconnected at one end to the paddles and at the other end provided withapertures and a single bolt extending through the apertures in both ofsaid strips and through part of said support for independentlyconnecting the strips to the support, said bolt being positioned topermit said strips to swing horizontally while the spring strips areadapted to flex vertically, said spring strips being positioned tonormally hold the paddles in an upward position.

8. In combination, a floating support, a pair of paddles, a flat springconnected at one end to each of said paddles, means for pivotallyconnecting the other end of said flat springs to said support near thefront of the support so as to independently swing horizontally, saidflat springs being positioned to normally hold the paddles out of theliquid in which the support floats, a buoyancy member disposed at eachend of said support, and means for adjusting the position of thebuoyancy member adjacent the paddles, the last-mentioned buoyancy memberacting to normally so keep the front of said support in respect to saidliquid as to normally maintain said paddles out of the liquid.

9. In combination, a floating support, a pair of paddles, resilientmeans secured at one end to said paddles and independently pivotallysecured to the support at the other end near the front of the support toresiliently hold the paddles normally out of the liquid in which thesupport floats, front and rear lbuoyancy means, disposed flexible andsubstantially circular and adapted to encircle the body of the operatorand to support the body of the operator and the rear part of thesupport, said rear buoyancy means extend- 5 ing laterally of the supportfor preventing sidewise rolling of the support.

WILLIAM H. HOOKER.

